The Sun. — London, England, 1818-11-12 00:00:00

LITERARYREVIEW: THE'VAST OF ST. MAVOALEN. a Romance. By Mies ANNA MARLA PORTION, in Three Volumes. l2ino. ----g , Thou shalt leave ']Sack think , helored most dearly : 'tis the last shaft Shot from the bow of exile. ' CAR LY'S DANTE. The hest Romances are those which, haying an historical basis. excite or revive a relish fur the higher and more substantial pursuits of literature. A mere fiction, unless constructed with very ex traordinary ability, cannot produce any strong or permanent interest ; and the many failures which have bret►eitt this species ut writing into disre pute !lave been in a great measure occasioned by is miscalc►tlation of the acquit ements necessary to ensure success. Romance writers are too apt to confine their reading exclusively to Rom:owes ; and to this defective and fallacious course of study tnav be ascribed all the incongruities, anachro nlsms, and blunders, which e xpose th e ir la bm,rs to► ridicule, and speedily cut►sign thent to From this reproach Miss PORTER is elliiiiC•idy free ; in all her former producti , ns, the extent of lter bistolic . al research has been contwrisitrate with the wide range of her inventions ; and the store of memorable facts which she has collected has served at once to entich and to regulate the resources of ler imagination. In the present etentftil story she Las displayed it knowledge of life, and a pro ficiency hi the varieties of human character, which might pot to the blush even an academic graduate, •epecialiy when considered in relation to the ner• vons eloquence which animates her style. In the development of the passions, nu less than in the recital of events, she has exercised equal penetra tion mud her scenes ate boldly ima gined and exqui,itely constructed, and they abound With ?navy traits of nature, artlessly interspersed, sshich give to this imaginary talc the vraisem- Notice of real history. The charm thus imparted to the work is en hanced by the wtsociations which its scene, its mra, and its characters call forth. No period in bingo annals can he more attractive than that of the revival of letters, and no conwry during that period more interesting than Italy, where that important revival took place. We shall not otherwise particularize the story than hy observ ing, that it is founded on an event connected with the expulsion of the Menict from Florence, and that it pre•ents a lively and picturesque detail of the tommotions in Italy in the sixteenth century, through the medium of a most interesting and well-imagined series of adventures. We subjoin as a specimen of the narrative, a passage relating to one of the characters, in whom centers the principal mystery :-- Where the trees pf an opposite chestiut grove crowded into darker gloom, her attention was suddenly struck by some oh ject 'moving under their overhanging boughs. By the indis tinct light, for the moonbeams could not pierce such thick umbraze, she thought she saw the figure of a man, ap proaching in the direction of the ruin ; and certainly she bears footsteps. _ . •• With ir►stinctive alarm, she now drew back, and cautiously watched the object of her fears. The man, pursuing his way, advanced from the shade into the broad moonlight, and as be crossed the open space be tween the chesnut grove and the banqueting house, Ippolita saw him distinctly. It was the same person who had obstructed her path, and asked his way, on that night which was never to be forgOtten: the night of the Fast of St. Magdalen. She sow the same equivocal look between ferocity and licentiousness; the same cloak of faded crimson wrapping his large proportions ; the same dark red plume s►treaming like a portentous meteor over his haggard visage. Through the foldings of his cloak, she even fancied she could discern the handle of a dagger. She shuddered. What was this man ? and wherefore came he here ? perhaps the ruin was the haunt of robbers, and Ip rata might at this very moment be in the rendezvous of murderers Her blood froze at the conjecture : and bitterly did she condemn that romantic fancy, which bad brought her in search of sublime emot:ons, to find real horrors. The stranger was now close to the building, fur she beard his step in the outer court : she no longer saw him, for :he Lid herself behind the masses of ivy. The heavy clank of the man's spurs echoed in the ball be low; and believing that he was ascending the stairs, she was just going to spring from the window, at the desperate hazard of her life, when the voice of Valombrosa saluting him from an opposite entrance below, as if this rencontre were an ap • . ',ointment, at first changed her terror into a joyful sense of protection, and thence into amazement. If this person were indeed the ill-omened bird that had sung the death-song of Valombrosa's peace, why met they again ? and why in this dismal solitude? Suddenly alarmed for her benefactor, as she remembered the stranger's dagger, her powers entirely forsook her; and sinking down, she remained without the capability of speak ing or moving, a n unwilling listener. The stranger spoke in a hollow, sarcastic tone. " Time wastes," he said ; " my necessities press ; I must be answer ed at once. Will you, or will you nut ?" " Your demand is monstrous !" was Valombrosa's excla vation. " What will be suspected, if I au► known thus to dismember my property, without being able to assio the reason ? I granted your first demand, solely to preset ve my honour in the world. I'll doubts your annuity if,"—bere Va lowbrosa's voice, which had before pierced Ippolita's ear with its fearful acuteness, was so broken and stilled, that she hard it but in murmurs. " These lands in Romagna suit my affairs better," was the stranger's reply. " 1 must be paid well, for holding my tonne." "do more ! no more !" interrupted Valombrosa, " 'know not what I may do—but if I do give you the deeds of that property, on that very instant I shall expect you to sur render me those killing documents;—and that secret, which now bows me to the grave—that damning secret ! you must swear never to breathe, even into the ear of your confessor." The dismal sigh which accompanied these words, was pro longed be thr dreary echoes of the hall; and Ippolita, seized by an emotion to which she could not have given a name, was breathlessly trying to remove beyond reach of their voices, when she caught perfotce the reply of the stranger. She al most fancied she saw the smile of derision with which it was tittered. '" They are not sucti linees lie mine, that crear out your confessionals." A silence ensued, as if both speakers were pondering over each o ther's•proposals. ippolita, trembling in every joint, no longer with fear, but with strange and hideous imagina tions, softly tried the bolt of a door which opened on some steps that led down the outside of the building into the woods. Fearful of being beard, yet throbbing with anxiety to escape, she repeatedly shook the door, and while doing so heard Valoathrosa abruptly exclaim, " Gtacious God! I, who once thought dishonour impossible!—yet but for her I would brave—he stopt, then madly added, " what 1 . shall I submit to a life of continual apprehension ?—no ! tell the tale at once." " Good night, then !" returned the stranger, with surly defiance; " I can srll the secret high to some in Florence." " Stay !—make your conditions!" Valombrosa called out in accents of frantic despair. " Rather than live thus, in slavery to a"—" Not a murderer!" interrupted his compa nion, and there was a inalignant expression in his tonr,which, resseti to any other than Volumbrosa, would have frozen tlita's blood. addr " That word again, and it is your last!" cried Valombrosa in a Si emendons voi,x; and the violent action with which he grasped his sword was repeated by the echoes. " Keep your weapon in its scabbard!" was the growling reply; " and I advise you to keep your tongue there too, if yon would have me keep your secret ! Nide and passion, my Lord 3larquis, are out good auxiliaries in such a business as ours; another roan would have known long ago how to re venge himself for the affronts put upon him ;—but 1 am a lamb !"—he laughed as he ended. " And I alit desperate !" cried Valotuhrosa, in accents of despair and agony; " Chafe me not beyond my power to bear," he gasped out, after a pause ; " you know I am in your power ;"—and here again Ippolita lust the distinctness of his voice. in its agitated suffocation. LONDON JOVRNALS. [FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.] [Morning Chronicle.] A squadron of three merchairt vessels, for the Havannah and Vera Cruz, left Cakz on tbe,l9th of October, under convoy of the Sabina frigate'. Not withstanding the late arrivals at that port, trade still continues very dull ; every sort of ne gociation is difficult ; and foreign exchanges, al ways high, are now not to he effected at all. The crew of a merchant vessel, called the Castille, which was lately taken by an insurgent corsair, off Cape St. Marie (`0 leagues from Cadiz), have been landed on the coast. The Cast ille was from Lima, and bad 660,000 piastres tortes on board, with a cargo ealued'at as much, consisting chiefly of cocoa. The l'reciosa, another ship with a similar cargo, and to the sante &tumult, was still missing, and great apprehensions entertained for her safety. [Morning Herald.] THE, QUEEN. " - li;te, Eight o'Clork, or. " The QUEEN, we are sorry to say, continues to decline rapidly. Last night she passed with still less ease than the five or six preceding ones. The paroxysms of coughing were violent and more frequent than heretofore ; and her respiration was performed with extreme difficulty. " Both the Physicians, attended by 11r. Brandt., were in almost continual attendance throughout the whole night ; but the means taken to relieve the stifferings of her Majesty bad eery little effect. " The Prince Regent remained at the Palace, in a state of great anxiety, till after midnight, when his Royal Highness, having had a confer ence with the Physicians, returned tu Carlton- House. " Sir Henry Ha'ford went to town to make the report in person to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and he returned to the Palace early in the afternoon. " lip to seven o'clock this evening, not the slightest alleviation of her Majesty's illness had taketr,place ; and, from every appearance, there tvas too much reason to apprehend, that another night of suffering would ensue. "The gloominess of the day prevented the Duchess of Gloucester from taking her usual walk, and she passed the day in the apartments of her Royal Sister, the Princess Augusta, who still con tinues much inflisposed. " Their Royal Highnesses were visited in the afternoon by the Duke of York. " Great numbers of the neighbouring Nobility and Gentry have made their respectful inquiries at the Palace within the last three days." • TFIEATRICAL REGISTER. Performer! Last Night. THEATRE TCOYAt., DRUAY-LANB.-..-The WW: Sir Solomon Cynic, Mr. AV Atkinson; Alhina Nlandeville, Mts. gardyn. Ally: . which, The Fulls of Clyde. THEATRE RoYAL, CoeENT-GANDEN.--The Soldier's Daugh ter: Goremor Heil-tall, Mr. W. Farrell: the Widow Cheerly, Miss O'Neill. After which, The Barber of Se ville. *** For W. M---N, on THE ACT of IssoLvENcY, ice the First Page. MAILS. A RRIVRD-1 IFiance, 1 Malta. DVE-1 Dublin, 4 Walerford, 1 Holland. PRICE o le STOCKS WELVE o'ct.ocic. India 80nd5......565. 87s. pr. South-Sea Stock 96 Old Annuities 761 Ex. Bills, I9s. ZOs. pr. 1 Cons. f",,r Account.. 780 77/ 1 78 771 THIS ' , AY AT r 3 per Cent. Red ...77 Ai 761 77 3 per Cent. Cons.... 7811 77ii 31 per Cent. 864 4 per Cents. 95 4 ii b per Cent. Navy Ai u n...loBi4 Bank L. Ann.. —2O 1-16th 111C11 WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning, 27 minutes after 2. I Evening, 47 minutes alfer 2. THE SUN. lIIILEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEAT LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1818. FOR. 'CUE SUN. MR. EDlTniti—About a month ago, a very sensible Letter. signed Lucius, called the atten tion of your Readers to the unfinished state of Somerset Place ; justly representing it as a na , timid disgrace, that a building of so mach beauty and utility should remain so long incomplete. The view of that great public building from Waterloo-bt idge, if it were finished according to the-original design, would be the most striking imaginable ; whereas, in its present state, it forces upon the mind ideas of fickleness, feeble ness of put - pose, or ill-judged ceconomy, very did honourable in their application to the public works of -a mighty nation. When the expellee of such undertakings is calculated, it should always he taken into the account, that abundant good is clause(' among the active part of the Community; by the continuance of them to their completion. Unlike those plans which carry into foreign coun tries the monies raised at home, these return at once into the bosom of the Community the sums drawn from it. They are raised chiefly from the opulent, and they are diffused among the indigent. They are hardly perceived in the collecting, but communicate an exhilarating warmth in the ex penditure. I trust we are neatly recovered from that sickly fit of alarm for our finances, which made caconomy a public mania; and are convinced, by the rapid return of our prosperity, that it was never necessary to bolster up the resources of this opulent country by saving candles-etvls, or board ing cheese-parings. We have a right to be mag nificent, especially in our public works, for the present benefit and permanent glory of the Com munity ; and 25,000 pounds, the annual sum ori ginally appropriated to the continuance of.this work, would be much less felt by the Country, than the penny contributions of the labouring poor, for their own objects, are felt by them : and, instead of being taken from them, would be spent among masons, bricklayers, carpenters, and every kind of artisans and labourers, whose hearts would be rejoiced by the employment. I hope the recent completion of the western arch, leading to the secohd court on that side, may be consi dered as a proof that the design is actually taken up ; and as a pledge that, ere long, the works at the eastern extremity of the building will also be resumed, and never again intermitted. Somerset-place and Waterloo-bridge sre formed to display, in the strongest colours, the mutual beauties or defects of each other. Their relative situation makes this unavoidable. While Somer set-place is unfinished, the Bridge emits out against so obtrusive a deformity ; if time bridge were to fall into ruins, Somerset-place would daily stig matize the neglect which suffered such a calamity. to happen. Nor would the latter event be very improbable, had not the architect given such per manent solidity to the edifice ; fur that the under takers of that noble design are nearly in that state themselves is but too well known, and deeply regretted by the Public. But for this too a most honourable remedy might be found. A public monument is wanted to record that unparalleled Victory of Waterloo. Instead, there fore, of expending a shilling upon any other kind of monument, let this at once be adopted. Let the Country adopt it as its own, repay their ex penditure to the Proprietors, and throw it open to the making it a free bridge, as Water loo secured to us the dignity of a free Nation. — Then would it be properly IVaTeaeoo BRIDGE. At present, it is only a public name given to a private work ; a kind of national swindling, g ivi n g credit to the Public for an edifice in which it has no interest, but, on the contrary, is paying a daily and perpetual tax fur its use. MARCUS. GORING CASTLE, WORTHING.--•111C Dowager Marchioness 01 LANSDOWN has concluded a cu rums treaty with the descendants of Sir 13. SHELLEY. Ti‘is magnificent pile, upon which 60,0001. has been expended within ti-e last ten years, has been let to her ladyship at a rental of twenty pounds for twenty one )e rs ; it is Hp° 1 a repairing lease. There are superb gardens attach ed, with hot and succession houses. The castle stands upon au eminence, command ing the sea in front, and rural objects in the rear.—There are two distinct orders of ar chitecture displayed, the Grecian and (lot id Go thic. The kitchen is of a vast size, sufficiently capacious to turn a coach and six iu. HER MAJESTY.—TEIC following J3ullvtiu was issued this morning : " KEW PALACE, Nov. 12. " The QUEEN was in a less uncomfortable state throughout the whole of yesterday ; but Her MAJESTY has had a bad night. (Signed) " FR. MILMAN. H. HALFORD.,• We received this morning the Paris Papers of Monday last. The following are extracts : " PARIS, Nov. 9.—Yesterday before mass the King received, at a private audience, the Duke de Fenian Nunez, the Spanish Ambassador, who de livered a Letter from his Sovereign. " The Duke d'Angouletne: arrived at Metz on the 4th instant. " Yesterday the King received the Ministers, Marshals, Cardinals, &c. " The Duke and Duchess de Berry set out this morning for their superb estate of Rosny, near Mantes. They return to-morrow evening. " The Doke d'Angonleme is expected next month at CabilS. His Royal Highness will pro , ceed by Dunkirk and Gravelines. tie will visi Calais, Boulogne, St. Omer, Aire, Bethune, ant " The King of Prussia has transmitted to the Mayor of the Atrondissement in which the hotel of his Majesty's Embassy is situated, the sum of 2000 francs for the poor. " Letters frnm Strasburg') state, that it had been officially announced there that the Duke d'Angouleme would arrive in that city on the.Bth inst. and remain there the 9th, 10th, and I I tb. " The Doke de Richelien is expected to return toParis from Aix-la•Cbapelle the 15th or 16th lust. The Prince de Talley rand, who since the end of Ilse season for the waters 131. s been a t I:15 tsisite of Welles', is expected at Paris thc 1314 or 14th instant. " Fu l ro Berlin it is stated, that the Prossisa Rhenish Provinces are to have a Code, in which the Prussian and French Judicial Forms are to be amalgamated. • " AIX-LA.CHAPELLR, Nov. 3.—The Entl' err° of Russia will, it is said, quit this city on the 914 , instant, and proceed to Brussels. H is Imperial. Majesty, it is supposed, will not be again beret except en passant. The Ministers ar c preparing to depart about the same period. " CADIZ, OCT. 20 —An English vessel boon to Gibraltar, disenibmked here to-flay the ere° of the Spanish ship Castilla, who had been Pot °ll board her by an Insurgent privateer. The Csgi tilla was taken by the privateer after an obstinate contest ; her cargo, which consisted of indigo' copper, cocoa, and about 700,000 piastres) j 5 valued altogether at ;,500,000 piastres. " The three Russian frigates hich have o r. w rived here are, it is said, to be sent to sea t° cruize against the Insurgent privateers. Gsuutto, Nov. 2.—lt is understood !Pt " the new IVirtentberg Constitution is tini,he(l, that it will shortly be published by t ,rder of the King. " A new Diet is to be convoked, it is sold, fc)r the lit of March next, to be elected according It' the mode established by the new Constitio.i°°' which will be immediately after its litblicati°3th6 carried into effect without being submitted for acceptance of the Diet. " AIX•LA-CHAPELLE, Nov. 4.—The ooe: ror of Russia, it is said, will set out from he''' for Brussels the 16th inst. Ilk imperial .10H.i's4 will remain there four or five days, and de; part for Vienna. The Emperor of Austria a lira out from hence the 18th, to return to his The Ministers will remain here till the 201 h ° 25th. pf <<A Committee, consisting of the Minist er " .. Austria, Prussia, and of other Germa n C°l'irs' i l' o to be establit4hed at Frankfort, with reference the Affair• of Germany. I f the " It is understood, that since the journeY 0 ' In fi r Emperor of Russia to Paris, the r st re ri°fl t he the payment of the contributions fiKet i Treaty of the 9th Oct. last, has been eu16116 eth f January 1819. o f IV " The principal column of 17,000 g lerh b as s Russian corps il'Arniee from France, `vi ii through here between the 27th and 30filinst'ettiO " The King of Pritssitt is expected i° r here to-morrow." We have the Pleasure to present to O'l rl3-e : le re r° ' ti le eu r t o i l c l intrryionfgw::::::trht they T nt rind most interetill' r i• stilts of the DISCOVERY EXPEDITION, O rs 111 , e '' wick, T a h l e i Iv i e s: l l:a n / e a Ships,a m at ' cr are fire s a f s e i l e y k i laa l l i n s i t iri . vsent-h(h)ilinepivniAcia°ll:enzirfin:(4ll;esd;oetris :SY (alliel711j11:19:3e'll°.:live:°):; id i : 1 " Captain Ross has completely succee' `Ti exploring every part of Part's Bop ‘l:topg.i" the exception of errors in the latitudes a n" 1 0 13 tittles, of verifying the statements of iiPt i oie navigator, who name it bears ; rand of 05re ti r . 10 4 ing that no passage exists between the .4il'iat 00' 0 iP)yu B ay,ciifii g e t:1 0 1 through e c l e a ll ll l , l : : ), , oleexbt e,iilntrin gfDotatolv:ii,isil'iste: t r b ri t 0 : 1 : 1 0 1 0 5 ) : 00or te: 1 5 , N lO ,lll, r ": 1 .aO5 ( I,: 74th degree of lat. stretching ‘Vestv"r" the Ist. 77 ° 55, and low , 76° sl f * atisle4B4C:rp,ieielyViatiais(c:eig(i'tt;:edel'and s the wl , ° le .. ‘ "Yt de r(' 1 ,0 t° mined to lie it) Lat. 660 mud Lavg• 6"a , i so i l ow hence they steer e d ilnz foofr Ditaevsioslo"tiloili,chit'llell ill° then stood homewards. tF Irserf 3 .10, " They have made may curious 0 be c o' anti discoveries, of which vvill p erlor 11(4 N oto ° sidered es the least interesting, that of / * bo we r/ being foland to inhabit the Arctic regiolisdbt til; the latitudes of 7G‘' and 7 60 0 tvb° ll : (''''' g etieril° ' the world to the South %vas all ice ; "3torie,o4o/ tion had succeeded generation ot "P 1 1 ,01 f ri had never tasted the froits of t ije es i r, i i : e n r: dea of a Supreme Beim..., ne ver 11.4(- 1:1)e 195e.1 and whose Chiefs had hitherto suppose( , r ed, 11 Monarchs of the Ustivelse. 1 e dice / - 134 few " :ifelgiercreesntonwoolenlvy ,raerittrillivitiosot°,,i j oe o g iley pt:; o o d : '1 o' Middleton, vs hid, might be d'llle of t he son, from the northernmost stati°" son's Bay Company . " it: ere da- tle t 'fits FuND9.--Yestei day C°ll9°ls'britt ; - I'll 0' IvcrY 's " t°7 754-., aml the market appeared earl" Oil voc co the -latter part of the day, 0 4 d , 0' 33 t to l ' j' ing, an immense quantity of St( fil°lo.ol,l be e t i 15' ' o il upon the market, and tbev I . 0 0 g` ," 11 61 Money is exceedingly actircei '.0.0111; ' 5 per cent. This ttiurda;,_on mo n i ed 30 ,000 , the Acc iv e pt Prig•, our coy as that 7'lz e Co nauseai Contin t iltte. nn ' V rene w , r.,,,% ‘ , E G "err Itlf. ti) e R Th e c to 11,,v, li e was Sir H u abl e m IC) Ilie( t() send 14( j w 8 t "iirt inspect I cicle p "Py th qt it Q,,, er, t( 11 If) act, 1114 1, bunt kv e S t. lie 11 )4(1 e .1 1 1 th e "e Gc Tha tltr la st al Als l , llt Ste,, pt i " AtiGads c Ord er ilt°Rtt We